Cities of Refuge: Refuge for the Distressed

Pastor Michael Wise

Recently, my daughter was in a car accident. Fortunately no one was hurt, but her car received some damage. It was the other driver’s fault, he even admitted it but the deputy did not write a ticket.

At my suggestion, she called him that same day and asked him why the other driver wasn’t ticketed. He said it was because no one contested the accident. She stated that the other drive told him that he was at fault, he had changed lanes and didn’t see her, side swiping her, so she wasn’t aware there was anything to contest. There were also witnesses. But the deputy stuck to his plan – no ticket issued.

So my daughter requested to speak to his superior. She  explained to his superior, a sergeant, what had happened. She was told it would be noted on the report that the other driver admitted fault, and was at fault, but still, no ticket would be issued to the other driver!

Now I support and respect law engorcement. Paul calls government officials “ministers” in Romans 13:6. But that’s pretty bad when you can’t find honesty and refuge in your local police.

But her experience is minor compared to the distress we see in the world. 

What a world we live in.

Where can a person find fairness, or refuge?

Imagine for a moment, a man on the run. He was simply throwing rocks out of his garden. He hadn’t realized someone was walking by. He hadn’t meant for the rock to hit the man and kill him. It was a tragic accident, but the man’s family didn’t think so and they want revenge, so now it is a foot race, a race for refuge, a race for life.

Scripture describes God’s plan to have six (6) levitical cities used for places of refuge: Ex 21:12-14; Num 35:1-34; Deut 19:1-13; Josh 20:1-9

Ancient Cities of Refuge, a quick summary:

Joshua 20:1-9 Numbers 35:10-14

• When Israel entered the promised land, each tribe received an inheritance of land. Except the tribe of Levi. Instead, they were given 48 cities. Six (6) of those were designated as Cities of Refuge: Three (3) on each side of the Jordan river. 

Josh 20:7-8; Deut 4:43;

• I’ve read that there was an ancient custom among the surrounding nations called “Private Vengeance”. The nearest kin of someone slain had a responsibility to be the “Avenger of Blood”, and seek to “slay the slayer”.
• God provided six (6) cities where a person could find refuge from the avenger. They were strategically placed so that one of these places of safety was no more than half a day’s journey.
• It was the responsibility of the nearest community to keep the road maintained so nothing would hinder anyone fleeing there.
• Clear sign markers were also required, so there would be no delay in travel – a life might depend on it!
• These cities were a refuge for anyone, Jew, Stranger, or Sojourner

Numbers 35:15  “These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there”

• If the accused person seeking refuge reached the city safely, he would plead his case at the city gate, to the city Elder’s
• If he was deemed guilty, he was turned over to the avenger
• If he was thought to be innocent, or possibly innocent, the case was tried, fairly, by the city inhabitants – the Levites.
• There were some conditions that must be met:  1) A death must not have been pre-meditated, and 2) it must have been without hatred, or 3) ambush.
• If, after the trial, he was found innocent, he was then protected within the city, where he must remain, for life.
• If he ever left the city, he was then at the “mercy” of the avenger, who might secretly be waiting to ambush him.
• The principal of “an eye for an eye” was God’s method to limit vengeful actions, not encourage them. As the only restitution for taking life (murder) was another life, he could never safely leave the city … unless …  there was one exception … He was free to leave the city if the High Priest at the time should die. The High Priest’s death was considered a substitutionary death.

It’s interesting to me that there are only six (6) cities of refuge. The number six (6) is generally considered symbolic of man’s work or incompleteness. Seven (7) is God’s number; a number symbolizing completion, perfection.

You would expect there would be a 7^th Place of refuge….

And there is….

God was always the ultimate refuge.

You might say, God was the 7^th City of Refuge for Israel!

Jeremiah 16:19  “O LORD, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction”

Psalm 59:16  “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble”

Did you know God has a modern equivalent for those ancient Cities of Refuge?    His remnant church!

Isaiah 4:6  “And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain”

I grew up in what some might consider a dysfunctional family. My father left the church in his youth, found the wrong friends and drank/smoked most of my life. My mom loved Jesus but was trying to be a faithful/supportive spouse. She was dis-fellowshipped when I was a young child. 

My grandmother ended up taking me to church, and saw that I went to church school.

In many respects, the church became my “family”, even though it wasn’t until later, as an adult, that I was converted.

Scripture is clear, all have sinned and the wages of sin is death. And while God will ultimately destroy/consume the unrepentant by fire, we can’t forget that the “destroyer”, the one responsible for the entrance of sin into this world, is Satan.

1 Peter 5:8   “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

More and more the world is experiencing Satan’s destructive power and pursuit even if doesn’t recognize its Satan, or acknowledge his existence. That simply makes his work easier.

I do believe, from my own experience as a person and as a pastor for 22+ years, that many people are looking for a place of refuge from the stress and challenges of this world.

City of Refuge/A Sanctuary:

We often say “the church” when we’re referring to the meetinghouse of the Church. But really, the Church is the people; the word Ecclesia means “the called out”. It is those who have chosen to accept Christ’s call to come out of darkness and embrace and follow His full gospel.

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden”

Matthew 5:16  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”

Our light, the light of Jesus actually, will shine as we lift Him up in our hearts and lives.

We have been strategically placed: Our churches are scattered abroad, our goal isn’t to become a “mega” church. It is to become a “many” church, so people can easily attend the nearest one. And in finding shelter they will be drawn to Jesus, converted, transformed, and ultimately chose to become a contributing part of the church family.

May I ask you a few personal questions?

• Are our “roads” to our churches well maintained and marked?
• Is our existence well known?
• Do people know where to find us?
• Do people view our church as a positive place to find truth, refuge, love?

If you really want to know the answer to those questions, stop at one of the business in your town and discreetly ask for directions to the local church. You’ll know if we are “known”. And from their response, you may get an idea of our reputation – are we known as a place of refuge … or something else?

The inhabitants of those ancient cities of refuge were the Levites’, a tribe from which the priests came from. God says His people are His new priests, His new Levites.

1 Peter 2:9  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Those ancient cities were for anyone, everyone.

Is today’s church just for the saints or do all people seeking refuge from sin and Satan feel welcome?

Isaiah 56:7-8  “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” ⁸ The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

Have you stopped to consider, what would a fugitive look for in a safe haven?  As you ponder that question, consider the various people demographics (including the young, adult singles, single parents, widows/widowers, elderly, handicapped, etc) and their specific needs.

Here are some general needs:

• Family Atmosphere/belonging -vs- Aloneness
• Looking for ways to Help, not Hurt (may require taking time to get to know them and their needs)
• Teaching/Upholding God’s truth with love, acceptance, and clear expectations/boundaries

Ezekiel 33:7  “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.

• Non-judgmental help, and resources, when needed, to overcome sin/bad habits
• Look for the good in each other – Uplifting/Encouraging
• A forgiving people, as well as a correcting, chastening, and protective people.

Revelation 3:19  “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

• Intercessory Prayer

1 John 5:16  “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.”

• God’s church, like God, should love the sinner while hating the sin!

The Levites heard the case of the person seeking refuge and decided whether they would or wouldn’t give admittance:

Did you now, an ordained Adventist pastor can baptize anyone who has met the qualification, but admittance to membership is a decision of the local Church – the City of Refuge.

To be all that God want’s us to be as a “City of Refuge” isn’t natural for us, it’s not our nature!

We need a new nature, we so desperately need the Holy Spirit.   Galatians 5:14-23

Psalm 127:1  Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

Today there is still the Ultimate Refuge. Jesus Christ is still the perfect refuge the church points the oppressed and weary to.

Isaiah 25:4  “For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall”

Psalm 94:22  “But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge”

Psalm 91:2  “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust”

Psalm 62:7  “In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God”

Psalm 9:9  “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble”

We shall not be confined to this old earth forever:

Because of the Death of our High Priest we will soon be free to go to a new home, a new earth:

Romans 8:33-39   “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.  ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? …  ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The High Priest who died in our place”

Years ago I read a story about a Special Olympics event. During a race one of the participants fell. Immediately, the entire group of racers stopped and went back to help the fallen racer get up, and then, hand in hand, they all crossed the finish line together.

Friends, I pray you have found church the Seventh-day Adventist Church to be a special “City of Refuge”, I and my family have. But has your local community?

Will you answer God’s call to make this church known as a city of refuge in the community?

May God ever be your shield, your refuge. And may you point others to Him, helping them walk in His grace!

Psalm 28:7-9  “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. ⁸ The LORD is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. ⁹ Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever.